Section outline

  • Course Overview

    This course equips you with the skills and knowledge you need to form and articulate a clear and concise research question that’s relevant, interesting and fundamentally researchable.

    Learning Outcomes

    This course will help you to:

    1. Recognize the importance of a strong research question and how this can benefit investigation
    2. Evaluate different factors to select and refine a suitable research topic
    3. Identify the features of a good research question
    4. Formulate a hypothesis within your research question and identify the variables within your research
    5. Turn a research topic into a tangible research question 
    6. Form a research question that is appropriate for your topic, plausible in terms of scope and resources, and a solid foundation for gaining insight
    7. Critique and evaluate your own research question according to a set of criteria 

    • Course Instructor: Zina O'Leary

      • Zina O’Leary

        Zina O’Leary is an internationally-recognized leader in research methodologies, and has a keen interest in the application of research to evidence-based decision-making. Zina is a Senior Fellow at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government where she coordinates research and project units for their Executive Masters and Executive Education Programs.

        View Bio for Zina O’Leary

      • Course Resources

        You will need to access certain files and resources throughout the course to get the most out of the activities. You can find them all here. 

      • Video Transcripts

        You can access all video transcripts here. 

      • Pre-Course Self Assessment

        Before you dive into this course, spend a few moments reflecting on your familiarity with the topic and your current level of skills confidence. 

        You will then re-visit the same questions in our Post-Course Self Assessment and reflect on how the course has helped you develop in confidence and grow your skills. 

        • Module One: What Topics Are Right for Your Research?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Evaluate different factors when selecting a possible research
          2. Use these factors to refine your topic

        • Module Two: What Is the Power of the Research Question?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Recognize the benefits of a clear and focussed research question
          2. Identify how these benefits can help you in your investigation

        • Module Three: How Do I Articulate My Research Question?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Identify the features of a good research question
          2. Narrow down your ideas to articulate your research question

        • Module Four: Do I Need a Hypothesis?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Formulate a hypothesis within your research question
          2. Identify the variables within your research

        • Module Five: DIY: Write Your Research Question

          This module will help you to:

          1. Turn your research topic into a question ready to be researched

        • Module Six: How Do I Know if My Question Is Any Good?

          This module will help you to:

          1. Critique and evaluate your own research question according to a set of criteria

        • Glossary of Key Terms

          In addition to the glossary you’ll find woven throughout the course, you can find the full glossary collated in one place here.

        • Post-Course Self Assessment

          Now you’ve completed the course, spend a few moments reflecting on where your familiarity with the topics and your confidence skills levels are at now. 

          Has the course helped you develop new skills and grow your confidence?

          You'll need to complete the Post-Course Self Assessment in order to download your certificate. If you didn't do the Pre-Course Self Assessment before starting the course, please go to the top of the page and reflect on your familiarity with the topic and your level of skills confidence before you started the course.

          • Completion: Certificate

            Completing all modules (plus the pre and post-course assessments) will unlock the course certificate, which you can then download here. Your course certificate will only be made available once you have completed all these sections.

            If you have difficulty accessing your certificate, please contact the Sage support team at: onlinesupport@sagepub.co.uk. You can also check out this FAQ page which may be helpful.

            • Give Feedback About This Course

              Did you enjoy the course? Please take two minutes to share your feedback. We use learner feedback in future course updates and developments to provide an excellent learning experience.

            • Accessibility

              We have high standards of accessibility on Sage Campus and as of May/June 2024 all activities within this course are keyboard and screen reader compatible. For more details on accessibility standards, please see the Sage Campus Accessibility Guide.

              For those using assistive technology, please note that within this course:

              • Tab components: JAWS and NVDA behave slightly differently. For NVDA to keep reading, it is best to exit focus mode and go back to browse mode. 
              • Matching: JAWS does not read out question label on dropdown focus.